Invaders' Plan: Strike Quickly

July 14, 1985|By Brian Schmitz of The Sentinel Staff

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — When the Oakland Invaders and the Baltimore Stars met this season, the game ended in a 17-17 tie. The Stars jumped to a 17-0 lead before the Invaders rallied for a tie on Anthony Carter's 17-yard touchdown catch with 1 second left.

Tonight in their rematch for the United States Football League championship, the Invaders plan to open up their offense and get in front first. It's a good plan, because Oakland is 15-0 in games when it scored first and 0-4-1 when the opposition scored first.

''We're starting the sixth quarter this Sunday,'' said Oakland Coach Charlie Sumner, referring to the five-overtime game in March.

''I don't know why, but when we get the lead it gets us going. But I'm not worried if we fall behind, because we proved in the last game against them we can come back.''

The game pits the Stars' rugged defense, which allowed 14 points per game, against the Invaders' explosive offense, which scored 29 points per game. ''You give up less than 15 points, you're always in the game,'' Sumner said.

The Stars are not intimidated by Oakland's big-play passing game led by quarterback Bobby Hebert and receivers Carter, Derek Holloway and Gordon Banks. Stars cornerback Garcia Lane says Hebert forces too many throws and ''can be picked off.''

What worries Baltimore Coach Jim Mora is his team's offense, which struggled much of the season. ''I'm not underestimating Oakland's defense giving up 23 points per game at all,'' he said. ''I think they are aggressive and sound. We're going to have to score more points than we have been to beat them.''

Both teams are on a roll. The Stars, rebounding from a slow start, have won seven of their last eight games. The Invaders have won 11 of their last 12.

Blake Harper, the winner of the name-the-team contest sponsored by The Orlando Sentinel last October, will attend the game courtesy of the Sentinel and the Orlando Renegades. Harper, one of several people who suggested the name ''Renegades,'' was selected the winner by the Renegades in a drawing. Weekend accommodations for Harper, of Christmas, and his wife Debbie, were taken care of by the Sentinel and the Renegades.